batchelder



LIU. e e h S m.. e e h S 2 R.. E D L E H C T A B. B W. d. d 0 M 0 mSAFETY GATE.

| NV ENTE R Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

WITN E555 5.

ANDREW BGRAHAM. PHOTOUTHD. WASHNGTDNJJ Ck (No Model.)

El .BATGHELDER' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

SAFETY GATE.

Patented Apr. 28, 1896.

INV ENTER' nire 1WILLIAM E. BATCI-IELDER, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS,ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESN E ASSIGNMENTS, TO ALBERT C. LITCHFIELD ANDALICE M. BATGI-IELDER, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,318, dated April28, 1896. Application tiled November 25, 1895. Serial No. 570,011. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM E. BATCHEL DER, residing at Lynn, in thecounty of Essex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Safety-Gates, of which the following, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved safetygate for railroadsand other crossings; and it consists of the novel features ofconstruction and relative arrangement of parts hereinafter fullydescribed in the speci- Iication, clearly illustrated in the drawings,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device of the aboveclass which shall be simple in construction, easy of operation, and theworking parts of which are protected as far as practicable from injuryfrom dust or water.

The present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l represents a top plan view of a portion of a railroadand my improved safetygate. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section online 2 2, Fig. I, showing the gate in its raised position. Fig. 3 is anenlarged view, partially in section and partially in side elevation,'also showing the gate in its raised position. Fig. 4 is a transversevertical section on line 4 4t, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detached view of aportion of mechanism for raising and lowering the gate. n

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawings, a represents a conventional track or railroad havingthe planks a' placed between the rails a2 at the point used as acrossing. All these parts are of the ordinary construction.

My improved safety-gate b may conveniently be arranged parallel with thetrack and in any desired proximity thereto.

My improved gate b' is made up of a series of vertical supports b b' b'b, Jac., which are connected by the rail b2. V

In the form of my invention shown in the drawings I have secured to therail b2, between the supports b and b', a series of vertical rods b3 b3b3, dac., which may be rigidly secured to the rail b2 ordependent'loosely therefrom.

In connection with my improved gate I have provided an inclosed subwayor conduit c, the upper covering of which is `preferably flush, ornearly so, with the surface of the street. The conduit c may be of anysuitable form or construct-ion for the purposes hereinafter set forth.In practice I prefer to construct the same of a bottom plate c and sideplates c2 c2, made integral or rigidly bolted together. (See Fig. 4.)The plates c2 c2 are conveniently provided along their upper edges withthe flanges c3 c3, to which is secured by bolts (not shown) or othersuitable meansaremovable cover c4. Below the subway or conduit c arelocated a series of tubular uprights d cl d d, dac. which project intothe conduit c and are held in position below the same by being embededin the ground or other suitable means.

The aperture through which each of the tubular uprights enters theconduit c is preferably fitted to thek upright and sealed around thesame with solder, lead, or any suitable sealing means, or a water-tightconnection formed by any of the usual devices. The tubular uprights dmay be of any form in section. In practice, however, for the salte ofeconomy, I have used the commercial forms of piping. The bore of each ofthe uprights CZ is of greater diameter than that of the support b, whichis received thereby, as hereinafter described. The portion of each ofthe uprights CZ which is projected into the conduit c receives a tubularlug cl', which is in` serted therein and preferably fitted thereto, andwhich is made integral with or suitably secured to the removable coverc4. The support b is fitted to thebore of the lug d', through which itis projected into the tubular upright d. The support b is convenientlyprovided at or near its lower end with a collar or ferrule b4, which isfitted to the bore of the upright d. The above-described arrangement issuch that each of the supports D is free to reciprocate in the uprightd, being guided and held in position by the collar b4 and the lug d'. Inthe form of my invention shown in the drawings I have provided for cachof the rods b3 an upright d3, which is projected into the conduit c andreceives a lug dL on the cover c1', the arrangement, as shown, beingsubstantially the same as that of the uprigh 's d d, the., and supportsZ1' U, the., heretofore described.

To prevent any possible accumulation of water in the uprights d d 1,the., and d3 di* (73, &c in the form of my invention shown in thedrawings, I have connected each of the uprights d and L3 with a pipe orline of pipes d5, which is inclined toward an outlet d, whichcommunicates with a sewer or other suitable place of emptyin The pipe d5may, if desired, be provided with a flushing-pipe Z7 and an inclinedcleaning-pipe d8, through which a iiexible cleaner may be inserted intothe pipe di".

My improved gate may be raised and lowered by any suitable mechanism.The device shown in the drawings for that purpose is described asfollows:

The reference-letter c represents a cable secured at one end to the railb2, adjacent to the support b', nearest the end of the gate andextending over a suitable shcave e' into the conduit c and along saidconduit c to a drum c2, adjacent to the opposite end of the conduit o.The cable c is wrapped around the drum e2 in the the usual manner andextends back along the conduit c, and thence over a suitable sheave c3into the tubular upright d, its free end being attached to the collar orferrule D". It may be said in this connection that the relative diameterof the support b and the bore of the upright d is such that sufficientspace is left for the cable ebetween the support b and the walls ofupright d. At each of the other supports 'o' D' U, duc., the portion ofcable c connecting the rail b2 and the drum c2, as hereinbeforedescribed, is provided with a shunt or branch c5, which extends upwardover a suitable sheave c6 and is secured to the rail 1:2, adjacent tothe support b At cach of the other supports b/b, the., that portion ofthe cable e connecting the collarl/l with the drum c2 is provided with ashunt or branch c7, which passes over a sheave cs into the upright d, inwhich it is secured to the collar or ferrule Z1" on said othersupport 1) in a manner substantially as heretofore described inconnection with the description of connections of the main cable.

The drum e2 may be actuated by any suitable means, conveniently by asprocket-wheel 6o j", suitably mounted in a casingf at a convenientheight above the street to be actuated by a crank n or other suitablemeans and connected by a chain f2 with a sprocket-wheel e9, rotatingwith the drum c2.

In practice I have provided a counterweight h, suspended in a suitablewell 7b', upon a shunt h2 from that portion of cable e connecting thecollars or ferrules b4 with the drum c2. The shunt h2 passes over asuitable sheave h3 at or near the top of the well 7b.

The above-described arrangement is such that a rotation of the drum e2in one direction takes up the portion of the cable c connecting it withthe ferrules or collars b and correspondingly lets out that portion ofthe cable connecting it with the rail b2, thereby raising the gate b. Areverse movement of the drum e2 produces a reverse movement of the cablee and closes the gate l).

As shown in the drawings, the rail b2, when the gate Z) is down, restsupon the cover c4, and to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice on orabout the rail b2, I have provided the steam-pipes L 7.5, extendingalong the sides of the conduit c and shielded by the gutters Z Z, whichdrain through the pipes Z Z into the pipe d".

It is to be noted in connection with the counter-weight 7L that it isconnected with the ferrulcs or collars t* upon the several supports b'by the cable and the shunt connections therefrom. In order that theweight may act simultaneously upon all the supports b', I have providedin the shunts or branches from the cable a turnbuckle j), by means ofwhich the length of the shunt or branch which connects the weight withthe respective support may be adjusted so that the weight will actsimultaneously upon the supports. I consider this a feature ofimportance in my present construction, as I secure thereby thesimultaneous action of the weights upon all the supports and dispensewith a plurality of weight-wells, utilizing the same counterweight forall the supports.

The operation of my invention has been sufficiently described inconnection with the foregoing description of the form and arrangement ofthe several parts.

The advantages of my improved construction would seem to be self-evidentto a person skilled in the art. I may, however, state in this connectionthat by dispensing with the opengate well heretofore found in devices ofthis class I greatly lessen the cost of construction, besides removingnumerous objections thereto. Attention is also called to the improvedsystem of drainage and the protection of the working parts from dust andwater as provided for in the devices hereinbefore described. I wouldfurther state that I do not consider my invention as limited to thespeciic construction hcreinbefore described; but

I claim as novel and desire to secure by Iletters Patentl. In asafety-gate the combination of a series of vcrtically-reciprocatin gsupports, a rail connecting said supports, a series of tubular uprightsadapted to receive said supports, a drainage-pipe and water-tightconnections between the uprights and drainage-pipe, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a safety-gate the combination of a series ofvertically-reciprocating supports, suit- IOO IIO

able connections between said supports to form a gate, a closed conduit,and a series of tubular uprights the upper ends of which extend into theconduit and receive the supports, substantially as described.

3. In a safety-gate the combination with associated parts, of a seriesof vertical supports, a conduit closed by a removable cover, said cover,a series of tubular uprights extending into the conduit, and a series oftubular lugs secured to the cover, arranged to engage the uprights andthrough which the supports pass to enter the uprights, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a 4safety-gate the combination of a se ries ofvertically-reciprocating supports connected to form a gate, tubularuprights arranged to receive said supports and in which they are free toreciprocate, and means for raising and lowering the gate comprising acable and shunt connections from the cable which are secured to theprojecting ends of the supports, and which enter the tubular uprights,and are secured to the supports therein, substantially as described.

5. In a safety-gate the combination of a series ofVertically-reciprocating supports, a rail connecting said supports, aseries of vertical rods carried by the rail between the supports, aseries of tubular uprights to receive the supports, and a series oftubular uprights to receive the rods, substantially as described.

G. In a safety-gate the combination of a se; ries ofvertically-reciprocating supports, a rail connecting said supports, aseries of vertical rods carried by said rail between said supports, anda series of tubular uprights to receive said rods, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination with associated parts of a safety-gate of a series ofvertically-reciprocating supports, a series of tubular uprights toreceive the supports of greater diameter than the supports and closed attheir upper ends to form apertures fitted to the supports, substantiallyas described.

S. In a safety-gate the combination ci a series ofvertically-reciprocating supports, a rail connecting the supports,Vertical rods upon the rail between the supports, tubular uprights toreceive the rods and supports, and a drainspipe or line of pipesarranged to drain the tubular uprights, substantially as described.

9. In a safety-gate the combination with associated parts, of a seriesof vertically-reciprocating supports, tubular uprights arranged toreceive said supports and in which they are free to reciprocate, acounterweight for said supports, a cable and shunt connections from thecable connecting the counterweight with the supports, the shuntconnections being arranged to enter the tubular uprights and connectedwith the supports therein, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twoattesting witnesses, this 23d day of November, 1895.

VILLIAM E. BA'ICHELDER.

Witnesses:

BENJAMIN PHILLIPS, A. E. WHYTE.

